The author, a veteran police officer and training instructor, explores cases of police fatalities to determine the most common contributory procedural errors. Brooks calls these 'the deadly errors'. They are failure to maintain proficiency and care of equipment, improper search and use of handcuffs, failure to position oneself properly, and failure to watch suspects' hands. Failure to remain alert and awake, failure to wait for assistance, and preoccupation and apathy are also common dangers